Breaker (Ondine Quartet Book 4) by Emma Raveling Read Free Book Online Page A

of the row. Being in closer proximity meant we could see each other without attracting too much attention. The Governor and Warrior Prince working together wouldn’t raise any flags.
    I’d been busy finalizing everything at the Academy this week and hadn’t had an opportunity to be alone with him since Rhian’s funeral.
    But we’d made plans for him to come over tonight.
    Cam frowned. “What are you smiling about?”
    “Just thinking about how much I like it here.”
    “I like it here, too,” another cheerful voice added.  
    Chloe arrived, her cheeks flushed and silky blonde hair tied back in a ponytail.  
    Over the past few months, a subtle change had taken place. Her body was harder, more sculpted. She stood differently, with her shoulders back, posture straight, weight balanced evenly over her feet.
    But those physical changes were nothing compared to the internal ones.  
    Chloe glowed. Her cornflower blue eyes now held a calm, focused resilience. She exuded command and there was a certainty in her movements that hadn’t been there before.  
    If an Aquidae charged, she’d shoot it down without blinking. Then she’d turn around, smile sweetly, and chat with you over tea.
    Cam’s eyes lasered on to her with an emotional intensity that burned. In the Selkie Kingdom, something had started up between the two of them again. Chlo wasn’t ready to talk about it and I wasn’t going to pry.
    I suspected they didn’t understand what was going on between them, either.
    “I thought you were having lunch at the cafeteria,” Cam said.
    “I was. Julian asked me to bring you a message.”
    Of course he couldn’t come here himself because that would involve seeing me.
    I shoved aside my irritation. “Is everything okay?”
    She nodded. “He needs Cam, Alex, Ethan, Blaise to report to the Training Center.”
    “Not me?”
    She hesitated.
    “Just tell me.”
    “When I asked him about it, he said the Governor was likely too busy to attend chevalier matters.”
    She’d tempered it. Whatever Julian said was a lot blunter than that.
    “LeVeq’s a joke.” Cam shook his head. “I still can’t believe he has magic.”
    He stated it the same way most people would say, “I can’t believe he’s an Aquidae.”
    Chloe blinked. “So?”
    “So that’s weird. I mean, how can you be a chevalier when—“
    “That’s like me asking how you managed to become a chevalier when you’re shorter than everyone else,” I pointed out.
    Alex hid a smile.
    Chloe’s brow furrowed. “Kendra’s right. Julian’s magic has nothing to do with his job.”
    “Yes, it does.” Cam’s jaw tightened. “The fact that he kept something that important from us compromises our ability to trust him —“
    “Maybe because he knew you’d react the way you are right now —“
    “And on top of that, he’s been hanging out with Aquidae. Who knows what kind of stuff he’s been doing? I don’t trust him.”
    I looked at Alex. “You feel the same way?”
    He shrugged. “I think Julian’s magic is cool and he’s a strong chevalier. But people aren’t sure if he should be in charge.”
    Damn it. This kind of distrust could rip the corps apart and that was the last thing I needed right now.
    “Do the other chevaliers know about his Virtue?”
    In the Selkie Kingdom, the elites had witnessed Julian’s Projection Virtue in the lead up to the Aquidae attack.  
    Alex shook his head. “We kept it to ourselves.”
    Good. “Well, he won’t be going on any missions any time soon. He’s under orders to stay in Haverleau.”
    “That’s not going to stop him,” Cam told me. “He’ll leave again. LeVeq is not going to stick it out as Head Chevalier.”
    “You don’t know that,” Alex murmured. “I’m betting on him.”
    “That’s cause he’s been supplying you with all sorts of goodies.” Cam stood. “He’s bribed you into giving your loyalty, Girard.”
    Alex followed. “Maybe. But I still think he’s cool.”
    They